Sand mafia threatens cop after tractor used for mining seized in MP

The sand mafia allegedly issued a death threat to Singrouli district’s Gadwa police station town inspector (TI) on Saturday after the police seized a tractor used to illegally excavate sand in the Sanjay Dubri National Park.

The police seized a tractor used to illegally excavate sand in the Sanjay Dubri National Park. (File photo)

The sand mafia allegedly issued a death threat to Singrouli district’s Gadwa police station town inspector (TI) on Saturday after the police seized a tractor used to illegally excavate sand in the Sanjay Dubri National Park.

The tractor had a registration number of neighbouring Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh and investigations are on to verify the details of the caller who issued the threat, police said.

The police said they received a tip-off on Saturday about illegal sand mining at Karbala Ghat of the Son river, which falls under the prohibited area of the Sanjay Dubri National Park. The police raided the spot and rounded up the accused miner and his tractor.

“After bringing the accused, Brij Mohan, to the police station, we registered a case under relevant sections of IPC, Wildlife Protection Act and Indian Forest Act. The arrested accused was also not able to present papers for the tractor,” Gadwa town inspector NM Upadhaya told HT.

Upadhaya said a few hours later, he received a call from a man who identified himself as the owner of the tractor.

“The caller identified himself as Gudda Singh and threatened to kill me for arresting his man and seizing the tractor. Gudda has a criminal background with a murder case registered against him in the Chitrnagi police station,” Upadhaya said.

He also said that the police are verifying the call before registering any case against him.

Upadhaya also said there are several members of the mafia who use vehicles with UP registrations to evade police action against them.

“The police are however keeping a strict vigil to prevent any illegal sand mining in the area and have also informed the officials of the forest department to also be vigilant to curb the same,” he said.

Shootout over Bhind sand mining, one injured

Two groups of sand miners in Bhind district exchanged fire on Saturday night after a fight broke out between them, with a labourer injured in the crossfire.

Sources said a minor altercation snowballed into the shootout, with Vipin Jatav, a labourer who worked at the site, getting shot in the leg. Jatav was rushed to the district hospital, where his condition was reported to be stable. The police have registered a case of attempt to murder against unidentified persons and have begun their investigation.

“The police however have managed to control the menace of illegal sand mining and its transportation to large extends by resorting to tough measures. We seized nearly 563 vehicles in 2016 involved in transportation of illegally mined sand and roughly 174 vehicles were seized in 2015. But sand mining mafia manages to slip away by hiring people from other districts in Uttar Pradesh adjoining areas,” Bhind SP Navneet Bhasin said.